Heather Gentry
Ph.D. - Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership - Curriculum & Educational Leadership
Education
- 2021, William & Mary, Ph.D. - Educational Policy, Planning & Leadership - Curriculum & Educational Leadership
- Regent University, M.A. in Administration and Supervision
- 2000, Lock Haven University, B.S. in Elementary Education
What is your current job?
After serving as a building level principal at both the middle school and elementary school level for six years, I embarked on my current role as a division level leader in Amelia County Public Schools. I first served as the Director of Human Resources in ACPS for two and a half years before transitioning into my current role as the Director of Instruction in June 2023.
What are your research interests?
One of the best courses I have ever taken was the Program Evaluation course at W&M. As a director of instruction, my responsibilities include progress monitoring and improvement of the instructional programs being implemented in our schools. Through the Program Evaluation course at W&M, I gained the knowledge and skills needed to effectively accomplish these tasks. In addition to this, I am passionate about the role of assessment in our classrooms and ensuring that the assessments administered give educators the data they need to ensure all students are making progress. Because of this passion, I find myself constantly researching and learning more about the role of assessment in our classrooms.
Why did you choose W&M?
In my first role in administration as an assistant principal, I was fortunate to work with a principal who had earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from W&M and at that time was enrolled in the doctoral program at W&M. She shared with me her passion for her educational studies at W&M, and her excitement for the program and the learning she was experiencing through her coursework was contagious. I was also employed in a school division that participated in the School-University Resource Network (SURN). The professional growth that I experienced through my experiences with SURN motivated me to want to explore the learning opportunities at W&M in more depth.
What is your favorite thing about the program?
My favorite thing about the program at W&M is definitely the people! The professors are incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. They ensure that the learning activities are applicable to our current professional contexts. The other students enrolled in the doctoral program pushed me to grow and expand as a professional and as a doctoral student through discussions and group projects. At W&M I found myself surrounded by individuals who challenged traditional beliefs, explored outside the box ideas while applying research-based theories, and ultimately changed the way I see education and myself as a professional.
How has attending W&M impacted your career to date?
There are so many ways W&M has impacted me as a professional! Often, during my time as a principal and now as a director, my path crosses with a former professor or student I met at W&M, and these connections are invaluable. When I have applied for professional positions, possessing a doctorate from W&M has demonstrated that I have the educational background and knowledge to be successful in a specific position. Perhaps most importantly, the theoretical knowledge gained through my time at W&M combined with the numerous opportunities provided to apply that knowledge to my professional context made me a more thoughtful and informed educator. My time in this program shaped the leader I am today, and through that process, my career will be forever impacted by attending W&M.
